Sports
Spooktacular 5k Race Now an Annual Event
The Indian Valley Family YMCA held the race for the first time last year and will hold it again this year on Oct. 28.
Just before Halloween, the will be holding its 2nd Annual 5k Spooktacular race.
Last year, 55 people participated in the race, completing five laps around the track at the YMCA. After the race, 12 kids took part in the Scarecrow Sprint, which is one loop around the track.
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This year, the race will take place on Oct. 28 and the organizers are hoping for more participants and have therefore broken the race into two waves, one at 8 a.m. and one at 9:30 a.m. Pre-registration is recommended but not required. However, if you register on race day, it is not guaranteed that you will be in the first race, you may have to wait for the second heat.
YMCA Health and Wellness Director Heather Labbe said that what’s cool about this race is that it has a very family friendly feel – equating it to being in your backyard. She said some races are hard to bring your family to, but not this one.
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“It was very different than any other race venue I’ve ever been to because it was so community friendly,” she said “That was the coolest part about it. It was very casual. It aligns with the mission of the Y – family, kids, and community. To me, it was the perfect marriage.”
She added that while the adults ran, the children – and other family members who weren’t running – were in the middle of the track, cheering the runners on.
While it was very casual and friendly – refreshments were even served – the race is officially timed and everyone has a number.
Seeing as though the race is right before Halloween, Labbe said the venue will be decorated in a fall theme, the music is Halloween themed, and costumes are encouraged.
The cost for the race is $25 and all participants will receive a t-shirt. The race is open to everyone, you don’t need to be a member of the YMCA. A free Scarecrow Sprint for the kids will be held before each wave of the 5k Spooktacular.
For anyone interested in training for this race, the YMCA is offering a seven-week training program at 5:30 p.m. on Monday nights – starting this Monday.
Registration for the Spooktacular can be done at the welcome desk of the YMCA or online.
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